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Show Wild Cow Towns Hold Spotlight of Frontier One of the nui romantic roles In j Kansas history was played by the Texas-Kansas cattle trails and the wild frontier towns which became shipping points for the herds. It was Joseph G. McCoy who first decided to d something about a market for Texas cattle. There were millions of the cattle, and they were more valuable than the buffalo which roamed the Kansas prairies At first, Kansas towns weren't Interested In Texas cattle, at least most of them weren't But Abilene was, although it was only a "small dead place consisting of about a dozen log huts." As soon as McCoy started building his depot at Abilene, the village awakened and teemed with activity By 1870 there were 4 hotels. 10 boarding houses. S or 10 saloons nd other business places. One of the first buildings, of course, wss the jail. Sidewalks were of wood and soon trembled and clattered as boot heels clomped on them. Kansas cow towns held the spotlight spot-light of the frontier. There were Ellsworth. Newton. Wichita (larger and noisier than most) and finally Dodge City (toughest of them all). For 10 years Dodge City was the wickedest town In the country. But It fought hard to (am that distinction! |